A major political mobilisation in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid and the continuity of Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo’s administration in Kogi State took place in Lokoja on Wednesday, as supporters drawn from across the North-Central region converged on the Kogi State capital for a solidarity walk.
The event, organised under the banner of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement 2027, attracted coordinators and supporters from the six states of the North-Central geopolitical zone, with participants displaying solidarity for the Tinubu/Shettima ticket and expressing support for Governor Ododo’s administration in Kogi.
The solidarity walk, which was also described as the official campaign flag-off of the movement’s North-Central activities, commenced from Ganaja Junction and proceeded towards the Muhammadu Buhari Square, Lokoja, with participants carrying placards and displaying campaign materials in support of President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and Governor Ododo.
The event had in attendance the National Coordinator of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Comrade Sunday Adekanbi Asuku, who represented the founder and Grand Patron of the movement, High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
Also prominent at the mobilisation were the movement’s North-Central Coordinator, Ambassador Omotowa Victor Opeyemi, the Kogi State Coordinator, Comrade David Mark, as well as coordinators and representatives from other North-Central states.
The mobilisation provided an opportunity for the movement’s leadership to deepen its grassroots campaign for the continuation of President Tinubu in office beyond 2027, with speakers urging supporters to take the message of the administration’s programmes and policies to their respective communities.
Tompolo, Through Asuku, Backs North-Central Mobilisation
Representing Tompolo, National Coordinator Comrade Sunday Adekanbi Asuku reaffirmed the movement’s commitment to taking the campaign for President Tinubu’s re-election to the grassroots.
Asuku told participants that the objective of the door-to-door movement was to build a sustained political structure capable of communicating the achievements and policies of the Tinubu administration directly to citizens at the community level.
He urged coordinators and supporters not to limit their activities to rallies, but to return to their wards, communities and local government areas to engage voters, explain the administration’s policies and mobilise support ahead of the 2027 elections.
He also emphasised the need for peaceful political engagement, urging members of the movement to conduct their activities within the bounds of the law and respect divergent political opinions.
Omotowa: Take Tinubu’s Message to the Grassroots
The North-Central Coordinator of the movement, Ambassador Omotowa Victor Opeyemi, described the Lokoja mobilisation as a demonstration of the growing grassroots structure being developed across the six states of the region.
Omotowa stressed the importance of grassroots mobilisation in determining the outcome of future elections, noting that political support must be built from the wards and communities rather than being restricted to major cities.
He urged the various state coordinators to strengthen their structures and ensure that the message of the movement reaches ordinary citizens across the North-Central zone.
He also called on participants to remain committed to peaceful political participation and to convince voters through engagement and explanation of government policies.
Kogi Coordinator Highlights Local Support
The Kogi State Coordinator, Comrade David Mark, described the turnout in Lokoja as a demonstration of the level of support enjoyed by the movement in the state.
Mark said the Kogi structure would continue to work with coordinators at the local government and grassroots levels to expand the movement’s reach ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He urged participants to communicate the administration’s policies to the people and encourage eligible citizens to participate actively in the electoral process.
According to him, the political objective is not merely to organise periodic rallies but to build a sustained grassroots network capable of engaging communities throughout the election cycle.
State Coordinators Pledge Stronger Regional Mobilisation
The various state coordinators from the North-Central zone collectively pledged to strengthen the structures of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement across their respective states.
They said their focus would be on grassroots engagement, voter mobilisation, political education and peaceful advocacy for the Tinubu/Shettima ticket.
The coordinators maintained that the North-Central region would play an important role in the 2027 political contest and urged members to take the campaign message to communities, wards and local government areas.
They also called for unity among supporters and cautioned against actions capable of creating unnecessary tension within the political space.
Participants Express Support for Tinubu, Ododo
Participants at the solidarity walk expressed enthusiasm over what they described as the performance of the Tinubu administration and the developmental efforts of Governor Ododo in Kogi State.
Several supporters said they believed both leaders deserved continued support beyond their current terms, arguing that continuity would allow ongoing programmes and reforms to mature.
The participants particularly praised the administration for its emphasis on infrastructure, economic reforms, social intervention programmes and efforts to strengthen development at the sub-national level.
In Kogi, supporters also highlighted Governor Ododo’s alignment with the Federal Government and his administration’s focus on infrastructure, youth empowerment, security and other grassroots development initiatives.
The mood at the event was largely celebratory, with participants singing, dancing and displaying campaign materials as the procession moved through parts of Lokoja.
Leaders Urge Supporters to Take Message Home
The political leaders at the event repeatedly urged participants not to end their mobilisation with the Lokoja rally.
They challenged them to return to their various states and communities and explain to voters why they believe President Tinubu should be given another mandate in 2027.
The leaders also stressed the importance of issue-based political engagement, urging supporters to speak with voters about government policies and allow citizens to make their choices freely.
The North-Central mobilisation is expected to form part of a broader grassroots campaign by the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
With coordinators already established across the region, the movement said its strategy would centre on sustained community-level engagement as it seeks to consolidate support for President Tinubu and the APC ahead of the next presidential election.
The Lokoja event therefore marked another visible step in the emerging political mobilisation around the 2027 election, with the organisers signalling that the campaign for Tinubu’s continuity is moving beyond political meetings into structured grassroots engagement across the North-Central region
